Rail brace or clamp.



I. L.-`McNEIL 6L D. B. 6L A. II/IcDONALD.

RAIL BRACE 0R CLAMP.

` APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I. I9l6.

Peteneed Feb.20,1917.

72a Zd.

JOHN LEO MCNEIL, DUNCAN B. MCDONALD, AND AUGUSTINE MGDONALD, OF BIRCH GROVE, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA.

RAIL BRACE OR CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 191'?.

To all whom t may concern.'

lle it known that we, loi-IN Lno McNair., DUN GAN B. McDoNALD, and AUcUs'rrNn MclonALD, citizens ofthe Dominion of Canada, residing at Birch Grove, in the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada, have invented a new and `Improved Rail Brace or Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is in the nature of an improved rail clamp device or attachment and while it is susceptible of a variety of uses, it is more especially adapted for furnishing a means of securing broken orl split rails (when such occurs on the road and the fractured rail has not been replaced by a new one) so that a train may' proceed and be not delayed by waiting for the replacingA of the broken rail. n

Primarily, our invention has for its object to provide a clamp device or attachment of the general character stated, of a simple and inexpensive construction, that may be readily carried on the engine, as is other emergency gear, such as replacers, etc., whose application requires only a few moments time and which can be readily applied by the head end crew of the train.

Another object of our invention is to provide a rail attachment in which is embodied a special design of two part clamp having cooperative members for closing against the opposite sides of the web of the split or broken rail, and with the said members contacting at one point only and such point located at the lowest possible distance below the rail base, and which forms, as it were, a fulcrum or pivot relatively so positioned with respect to the rail web engaging faces of the said coperating members, whereby, as the load transmitted through the rail to the clamp device is on, the load stress tends to increase the clamping characteristics of the opposing portions of the clamp-,that engage the broken rail web, which portions, in my Construction of clamp are 'primarily held to their rail web clamping condition by draw bolts which engage the two' opposingv sections that constitute the clamp, at a point below the base portion of therail.

We are aware that numerous rail clamping devices have heretofore been provided and designed for clamping the adyacent ends of rail sections or for clamping broken or split rails, but so far as we know such clamping devices have not been found as meeting the desired requirements, especially emergency needs for quick and effective temporary repair of a broken rail section, since such devices as have heretofore generally been provided have been more particularly designed for being permanently applied, when set up and provided with special clamping elements adapted for eX- tending across an adjacent pair of rail ties and spiked thereto.

Our invention diers from the general run of rail clamping devices in that the same can be applied on a broken rail at any point between an adjacent pair of rail ties, whose base is adapted for being embedded in the road bed, and Awhich can be almost instantly secured to the rail, without' need of drilling bolt holes or otherwise making ready the rail, and when applied, the cooperating parts do so engage the broken web portion of the rail that the load (as the train passes over the damaged rail) is transmitted directly on the temporary base bearing for the rail and in such manner that the clamping members of the said base bearing or clamp device are caused to close against the web portion only of the broken rail, and with no other part of the said clamp device in clamping engagement with the rail, special provision being also made for relieving the draw bolts of undue stress, sulficient clearance being given the sides of the body of the clamp, that Contact of such sides, is impossible except at the pivot or fulcrum point contact at the eXtreme lower end or base of the clamp.

With other objects yin view that will hereinafter appear our invention consists in the peculiar construction and novel arrangement of the parts hereinafter fully eX- plained, specifically rpointed outin the appended Claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a broken rail and our improved rail clamp operatively applied.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the clamp applied to the rail.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the several parts that constitute our improved rail clamp, the said parts being shown separated.

The general shape and size of our rail clamping device relatively to the standard suiiicient strength to take the maximum load to which a rail is subjected; without failure, either by flexureor shear in which it may be weakest.

Each section 1 includes a base portion, which, when the clamp is applied isV set in the road'bed, and at the lowermost part the inner vertical face of the said base is formed with aconveXed rib 2 that extends horizontally the full length of the section and projects beyond the said vertical face so that, when the'two sections are assembled, the two Vribs 2 form the only point of contact Ybetween the two sections, (see Fig. 2) and thereby provide, as it were, a fulerum Vor kpivot point X located at the lowermost possible place below the rail.

The upper end of each section lrterminates in a Hat face clamping head 3 for Vengaging the web portion 40 ofthe rail t,

and it should be here stated the faces 3 of the head are the only portions of our rail attachment thatclamp against the rail.

Each clamping head has a recess 5 that extends outwardly from the inner'face and Y along the full length of the section, and the lsaid recess is provided'for receiving the base flange of the rail as is clearly shown in Fig; 2, by reference to which it will be seen that the base portions of the recesses 5 are concaved on an arc having the fulcrum point. a@ as thev center, the reason for which will presently appear.

The recesses 5 in which the rail base flanges 41.7 11 project are of sutlicient elearshown; Y Y t Y Y At a suitable point below the rail supportance so'that theV clamping sections 'do not contact Vwith the rail at Vany place other than at the web Vand base portion thereof, as

ing portions 6 6, the sections 1 1 have alining bolt 'apertures 7 that'receive the draw bolts 8. Bolts S'include around head 8O with. a neck portion 81 square in cross section that keeps the bolts from turning in their apertures 7 Yshould the nuts become 7 j tight on their threads.

As is clearly'indicatedin Fig. Q, the bolt apertures 7 are suiiiciently' large toallow a Vlimitedl loose fit of the bolts, the reason for which will presently appear, and the outside profile' of the clamp sections 1 1 are recessed as at 12 for seating'the bolt heads and the nuts, as shown. Y

VTo decrease their weight and also to facilitate positioning the clamp into the road bedand the consequent less removal of ma` terial from the road bed when placing the clamp sections under and against the broken rail, the lower ends of the sections 1 1 are cut away, as at 13.

By reason of the peculiar and simple form of the opposing clamp sections as described and shown, when the clamp device is needed, all that is necessary is to dig a shallow pocket in the road bed under the broken section of the rail, after which the two clamp sections can be almost instantly seated in the pocket formed in the road, closed with theirl clamping heads against the web portion of the broken rail, and held to the initially clamped engagement with the said rail by the draw bolts S, it being obvious that in drawing the two sections 1 1 together their upper ends are caused to move up against the rail web since the contacting ribs now serve as a fulcrum or pivot.

lVhile the draw bolts 8 serve as the means for primarily holding the clamping heads securely over the broken rail web, by reason ofthe relatively loose fit of the bolts through the bolt apertures, the said bolts are at no time subjected to the load strain when the train passes over the broken rail, since by reason of the bolt apertures being of larger cross sectional area than the bolts there is suflicient play of the sections, toward each other and relatively to the said bolt, that the load strain on the rail is taken up by the sections 1 1 since the tendency of the said sections 1 1, as the train passes over the clamped rail, is to swing the clamping heads in the direction of the arrows v/ g/ and thereby increase the characteristics of the clamping heads, it being understood that the load strain is transmitted directly to the two opposing sections through thc tread of the rail, as the said rail engages the sections in such a manner that they now tend to swing toward each other, and as the sections are support-edA on a ground base, it follows that lthere is practically no load strain taken up by the draw bolts S, as the clamping heads are now held against the broken rail web under a maximum pressure, as the train passes over the broken rail.

An important advantage in providing a clamping device in which provision is made fortaking olf anyof the load strain from the draw bolts, is that the bolts will not thereby be twisted or mashed in their apertures, and hence can be quickly disconnected from the clamp by the crew after the train has passed over the broken rail to thereby allow for the quick removal of the said clamp device when used for emeigencjI purposes only. Y

The clamp device shown in the drawing, in its practical arrangement is of sulicient depth to stand the greatest bending moment of the rail between the greatest distances of points of support with wrought iron bolts of sufficient diameter to stand the greatest tensile stress liable to be exerted on them.

1n practice, the clamp device is preferably fifteen inches long with three bolt apertures, the end ones being set two and one-half inches from the ends of the clamp; the dis tance between centers of the bolts being five inches.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing, the construction, the manner of its application and the advantages of our invention will be readily understood.

vVhat we claim is:

1. An emergency rail clamp for broken or split rails, comprising a pair of like shaped cooperating members including base portions adapted to underlie the rail and rest on the road bed, the said members having portions for extending over the rail base fianges and for engaging the web of the rail and clamping the rail web only, the lowermost ends of the base portions having inwardly projected contacting ribs that serve as a fulcrum bearing between the opposing members each of the said members having a horizontal recess extending the full length thereof to loosely receive the rail flanges, the base of said recesses'forming a chair for lthe rail base, means located below and out of contact with the rail for moving the heads of the opposing members to a clamping engagement with the rail web.

2. Ain emergency rail clamp for broken or split rails, comprising a pair of like shaped cooperating members including base portions adapted to underlie the rail and rest on the road bed, the said members having portions for extending over the rail base fianges and for engaging the web of the rail and clamping the rail web only, the lowermost ends of the base portions having inwardly projected contacting ribs that serve as a fulcrum bearing between the opposing members each of the said members having a horizontal recess extending the full length thereof to loosely receive the railflanges, the base of said recesses forming a chair for the rail base, means located below and out of contact with the rail for moving the heads of the opposing members to a clamping engagement with the rail web, the bearing points of the rail on the two opposing members being such that the stress of the passing load on the rail is so transmitted to the opposing members whereby to effect a maximum clamping action of the head portions of the said members on the rail web without effecting the means that primarily hold the said head portions to their rail web clamping position.

3. sin emergency rail clamp for broken or split rails, that comprises a rail chair con- 1; sisting of two coperating opposing members including base portions for resting on the road bed and extending lengthwise of the rail, the said base portions being normally spaced apart and having portions on their adjacent lower faces that form horizontally extended contacts, the upper ends ofl the said members having horizontal recesses for loosely extending over the base flanges of the rail, and having head portions for clamping against the web of therail, the base of the opposing recesses forming the seat for the rail, the said members having alining bolt apertures at points below the rail base, draw bolts coperating with the said opposing members for effecting a pri mary contact of the head portions on the rail web, the bearing on the coperative combined chair and clamp members being such relatively to the contacting lower ends of the said members, whereby to increase the clamping characteristics of the said heads when the load is on the rail.

4. An emergency rail clamp for broken or split rails, that comprises a rail chair consisting of two coperating opposing members including base portions for resting on the road bed and extending lengthwise of the rail, the said base portions being normally spaced apart and having portions on their adjacent lower faces that form horizontally extended contacts, the upper ends of the said members having horizontal recesses for loosely extending over the base flanges of the rail, and having head portions for clamping against the web of the rail, the base of the opposing recesses forming the seat for the rail, the said members having alining bolt apertures at points below the rail base, draw bolts coperating with the said opposing members for effecting a primary contact of the head portions on the rail web, the bearing on the coperative combined chair and clamp members being such relatively to the contacting lower ends of the said members whereby to increase the clamping characteristics of the said heads when the load is on the rail, the said bolts being loosely fitted in the bolt apertures whereby the load strain on the chair is transmitted direct to the said clamping head on the broken web and the bolts thereby relieved of load stress.

5. As a new article, an emergency clamp for bracing broken 0r split rails comprising two coperating members of like contour, each including a base portion adapted to rest in the road bed under the broken rail, a head portion having a clamp face for engaging the web of the rail, said head portion having recesses for loosely receiving the base flanges of the rail, each of the base portions of the said members being provided with a horizontally extended rib on its inner face, each of the said members having a bolt aperture below the rail receiving recess, bolts and nuts for cooperating With the said apertures, the said apertures being of slightlyT larger diameter than that of the bolt, the said portions of the rail Hnge receiving recesses forming chair-like bearings 'for the rail, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

6. As a new article,xan Yemergency clamp for bracing broken or split rails, comprising two copgrating nieinbersoil like contour, each including a base portion adapted to rest Vin the road bed under the broken rail, :t head portion having a clamping Vface for engaging the web of the rail and horizontal recesses for loosely fitting over the bese ranges of the rail and provided With a horizontally extending rib on its inner face, the bottom of the recesses that receive the buse flanges of the rail being' curved on :in :tre with the horizontal rib :is the center, ezich of the said ineinbers having bolt apertures below the ruil receiving` recesses, bolts :1nd nuts for coperatino with the said apertures, said apertures being oi slightly greater diameter than the bolts, the buse portion ot' the rail Hnge recesses forming chair-like bearings for the rail, all being substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

JOHN LEO MCNEIL. DUNCAN B. MCDONALD. AUGUSTINE MCDONALD.

Y Copies ofy this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

i Washington, D. C. 

